


Samhain

by Introvertia



Series: 13 Days of Halloween [9]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 13 Days of Halloween, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gay Billy Hargrove, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27241195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Introvertia/pseuds/Introvertia
Summary: Steve finds a kitten and tricks Billy into keeping it (but Billy really wants it, so everyone wins).
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: 13 Days of Halloween [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995811
Comments: 12
Kudos: 84





	Samhain

**Author's Note:**

> This short fic was inspired by the very crafty Gothyringwald's 13 days of Halloween Prompt List.
> 
> Prompt 9: Black Cat
> 
> This is the 9th of 13 tales posted between the 19th & 31st of October. They may be read independently or as a serial. 
> 
> Please check the tags of each story as the content will vary.

October 27th, 1986

**Part 1**

**Overtime**

When Steve woke up his mouth was so dry it felt like he’d gone to sleep with his face in a pile of sand, he sat up and grabbed at his glass of water only to find it bone dry. Billy sat up next to him, looking bleary eyed, his curls were plastered to his temple. In the steely October morning light the scar on his cheek looked particularly pale, it reminded Steve of mother of pearl. Steve kissed Billy’s scar gently and stroked the side of his neck.

“Good morning.” Steve said, his voice raspy.

“What time is it?” Billy croaked.

“Seven-thirty.” Steve said after squinting at his clock for a beat.

“Amazing.” Billy said and laid back in Steve’s bed.

Billy normally got up at half past four in the morning for his job at the Bountiful Bakery where he ran the ovens five days a week, it was his day off and he couldn’t believe he’d managed to sleep in so late, of course the night before after a pretty heavy fight with Steve they made up and got very, very stoned before they went to sleep. Billy rolled over on his side looking Steve. Steve’s thick dark hair looked like he’d been visited by a tiny tornado in the night. Billy reached over and ran his hand roughly over Steve’s head. “You look like an evil genius.”

“Maybe I am.”

“Nah.” Billy chuckled.

His laugh sounded particularly dirty that morning in Steve’s ear. Steve stood up and wobbled across the room, still half asleep. “I can be evil. I just choose not to be.”

“Well you can’t choose to be a genius, you either are or you aren’t.” Billy said, and then he was soundly hit with a feather pillow.

“My folks are home, keep your voice down. I’m gonna get supplies.” Steve whispered.

Billy threw the pillow after him, and smiled to himself as he snuggled back down in Steve’s bed.

After ten minutes or so, Steve returned triumphant, he had a plate laden with scrambled eggs, a stack of buttered toast, and a pile of bacon, as well as a family sized bottle of orange juice under his arm. Billy sat up and took the orange juice first and turned up the bottle and drained half the contents.

“My dad left for work and my mom’s going over to the church, so the coast’ll be clear soon.” Steve said between bites of eggs.

“Your parents must think you have a tape worm.” Billy said biting into a thick piece of buttered toast.

Steve shrugged, and picked up a slice of toast and folded it in half over three pieces of bacon. They both ate like wolves getting crumbs all over Steve’s bed. When the food was gone Steve put the plate on the bedside table and turned on his side facing Billy. “I’m glad you stayed over.” Steve murmured and ran his hand over his boyfriend’s chest, Billy was wearing a black t-shirt, with a grey long sleeved thermal shirt under that, he’d slept in his clothes, he always wore long sleeved shirts, and slept in either pajama pants or his jeans. He was no longer the Billy of summer, shirtless and golden, his body was always covered, his long waves of golden blonde hair had been shorn and grown back as honeyed ringlets that reached the crests of his cheekbones.

Billy turned his head looking at Steve, “I could sleep some more.” Billy said quietly.

“Yeah, me too.” Steve didn’t feel tired, but he liked the idea of staying in bed with Billy just a little bit longer. He folded his arms around Billy’s torso and rested his cheek on his shoulder.

Billy sighed, he hated how much he loved being held, how much he feared each time would be the last time. He never had imagined having a boyfriend would be so hard, but it was hard, he’d almost blown it last night because he’d let jealousy get the best of him, but Steve had stood up to him, as well as held on to him. “You’re my first real boyfriend Harrington.” Billy said.

“You’re mine too.”Steve replied quietly.

“Is it weird?” Billy asked.

“Yes and no, but mostly no.” Steve said thoughtfully.

“I lost my temper,” Billy whispered, “last night.”

Steve leaned up on one elbow and looked at Billy, “I know, but we got through it.”

Billy closed his eyes, he wanted to ask Steve when he knew he was in love with him. He wanted to ask how Steve knew it was love, and why him? But Billy just couldn’t bare to do it. What if Steve changed his mind? How was he so damned sure?

The phone rang and Steve sat up, “Come on people.” He complained as he reached for the phone, “I swear to god if it’s my dad calling me to tell me to do some stupid chore I’m gonna scream.” Steve put the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Yeah, yeah it’s me.” Steve put his hand over the receiver and whispered to Billy, “It’s work.” Steve took his hand down speaking into the phone, “Uh, well, I guess, okay. Sure. Yeah. No problem. Okay. Sure. Yep. Uh-huh. Okay, bye.” Steve hung up the phone, and looked at Billy.

“Did they ask you to cover a shift?” Billy knew the answer just by the pained look on Steve’s face.

“I’ll get overtime.” Steve said.

“Drop me off?” Billy sat up pushing the blankets off, and sliding off the side of the bed.

“It’s a short shift, nine thirty till one, I”m just covering breaks and lunches.” Steve said getting out of bed, “I really need the cash.”

“It’s no big deal.” Billy said.

“Can I come by, after work?” Steve asked, he ran his hand over Billy’s back.

“I’ll be there.” Billy said pulling on his boots.

**Part 2**

**A Strange Sound**

When Steve got to work he immediately regretted agreeing to pick up the hours. The hardware portion of the Shawnee Hardware Store and Lumber Yard was bustling, but the lumber yard was dead. He helped the few people that strayed out into the yard find what they were looking for, but mostly there was nothing to do but busy work, like sweeping and organizing. He had the place looking spic and span in the first hour of his shift.

When a truck pulled up with a delivery of firewood Steve was excited to get on the forklift and start unloading the bundles of wood onto pallets and then stacking them in their designated area. He’d taken to the forklift like a fish to water, and it was one of Steve’s favorite things to do there. It beat sawing lumber and carrying people’s purchases to their car like some kind of lumber jack valet by a long shot. Their inventory of cut logs and branches for firewood was stacked up twelve feet high at the back of the lot. People would come and purchase wood by the bundle, and sales were picking up. It was going to be a chilly November. Steve climbed on top of the wood pile and set down the last bundle from the delivery. He took in the view of the lumber yard and pulled off his work gloves to check his watch, his shift was nearly over. Steve smiled, and decided he’d pick up Chinese for him and Billy. A soft drop of rain pelted Steve’s cheek.

“Oh shit.” Steve scrambled down the wall of stacked fire wood. He needed to get the tarps, he’d been told nobody liked smokey fires, and wet wood made for smokey fires. Steve jogged over to the back door of the Hardware portion of the business and stepped inside, he saw Danny stocking some cans of wood-stain and opened his mouth to ask for a hand and then changed his mind, Danny was a grade A flirt and Steve had shot him down yesterday, some time not working too closely together might do them both some good. Steve ran back out and started wrestling the tarp over the wood on his own. The rain was picking up and he moved quickly, the blue plastic tarp crackled loudly but then Steve heard a strange sound, high pitched and but not terribly loud.

“Hey Steve you need a hand?”

Steve looked over his shoulder and saw Danny walking over with a cigarette in his lips, he looked like he was on his break because his shop apron was folded down around his waist.

“No, I got it. I just thought I heard something?”

The rain was falling harder and it was tapping loudly on the tarp. Danny walked over and started helping anchor the corners of the tarp.

Steve started adjusting the tarp and then he heard a peculiar sound, just like before. “Hold on Danny.”

“What?” Danny stopped moving the tarp but he looked annoyed, “Steve I’m getting wet here.”

Steve held up a hand for silence and knelt down low, he peered into the stacks of bundled wood.

“You’re gonna get bit if there’s a rattler in there.” Danny said.

“No, it’s not a snake.” Steve said, hoping it wasn’t. “I can’t see anything.”

Steve heard a faint hissing sound and fell back on his ass, expecting a snake to dart out, its fanged jaws spread wide, but nothing happened.

“You alright?” Danny asked walking over.

“Yeah,” Steve got on his hands and knees and looked into the woodpile where the sound had come from, “Maybe a marmot, or a possum…”Steve put on his work glove and reached into a gap and to feel around, something small and soft grappled onto his gloved hand. Steve hoped whatever it wasn’t couldn’t bite through his glove and he gently extracted it.

Steve looked at the smallest blackest most furious kitten he’d ever seen as it battled his yellow work glove, grappling and rabbit kicking with its tiny little back legs. It bit uselessly at his fingers.

“Well that’s one ugly kitten.” Danny said, “Probably full of fleas and tics, could be rabid.”

“He’s just scared.” Steve said fondly and stood up holding the little black beastie.Steve went inside and grabbed a flashlight and inspected the rest of the woodpile looking for more kittens. Danny, tired of getting rained on went back into the shop. Steve kept the kitten in his hand, during the beginning of his search for its siblings, the kitten had grown tired of fighting him and just curled up in the warmth of his glove.Steve didn’t stop looking for more kittens until he’d checked the whole stack, it took time, it was twelve feet high and twenty-five feet wide. He put the kitten in his jacket and then finished covering the wood. He punched out his time card and looked down at the soft dirty fluff in his jacket. “Now what?”

**Part 3**

**Smitten**

Billy was sprawled on his couch reading a book he’d picked up at the library, his booted foot lightly tapping to Metallica’s “Am I Evil.” It was kind of a dry book, but it was just weird enough to keep him interested, and also starting to make sense. Dr Owens had brought up Jung more than once, describing him as kind of a kook that made some interesting points. Billy was starting to agree. He heard the sound of Steve’s heavy work-boots coming up the wooden stairs outside of his apartment. He dropped the book on the coffee table and stood up. Just knowing Steve was there made Billy’s mood improve.

“Jesus Hargrove, calm down.” Billy said walking over to open the door.

Steve bustled in with two bags in a deep plastic pan. “Hey sorry I’m late. It started raining at work and I had to tarp all the firewood, we keep the bundles in the yard, well you know, you’ve seen them.”

“Yeah.” Billy said he looked in one of the bags and saw a bag of kitten chow, and a toy mouse, he reached in and pulled out a little red collar. “What is all this?”

“I uh, I found a kitten.” Steve unzipped his jacket and Billy saw a sleepy kitten with matted black fur nestled above his boyfriend’s heart.

“You sure that’s a kitten, looks more like a tiny chestburster.” Billy tilted his looking at the kitten with a cocked eyebrow.

“Oh, I’m just trying to keep it warm.” Steve said.

Billy nodded watching the kitten. “Let’s eat I’m starving.”

"Good idea.” Steve started unpacking the food and then Billy reached over and pulled the kitten out of his jacket with care. “Oh, what are you going to do?”

“It’s dirty.” Billy said.

“There’s no tics on it, I checked, I didn’t see any fleas.”

“No, its fur, like it’s crusty, it needs a bath.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to bathe kittens?”

“Well you don’t dip em in dish water.” Billy rolled his eyes, he ran the tap waiting for the water to get hot and then got a corner of his dishtowel damp. He felt Steve hovering behind him. “Just fix me a plate.” Billy said.

“Sure.” Steve nodded and grabbed the plates.

Billy sat down with the kitten and started gently rubbing its fur with the damp towel, he made quick little dabbing strokes following the direction of the kitten’s coat.

Steve loaded both their plates and smiled watching Billy meticulously wiping and dabbing the kittens black fur.

“Get my toothbrush.” Billy said.

Steve had just sat down and picked up his fork, he set it down and did as Billy asked.

“Run it under the tap, make sure it’s warm.” Billy said still dabbing the kitten holding it by its scruff now, it’s short limbs splayed and then slowly relaxed in his grip. Steve handed Billy the damp toothbrush.

“Is he purring?” Steve smiled hearing the tiny faltering purr of the kitten.

Billy started running the toothbrush over the kittens fur, from it’s forehead to its ears and then down its scrawny little neck. “Yeah, you just gotta make ‘em feel secure.”

Steve sat down and began eating watching Billy mother the little goblin of a kitten.

When Billy was done grooming the kitten he swaddled it in a clean black t-shirt and handed it to Steve. “I’m starving.” Billy said and dug into his food.  
  
Steve smiled down at the kitten. “I’ve never had any pets.”

“My mom used to bring home strays all the time.” Billy said around a mouthful of Chow-mien, “we never kept them more than a night or two, or dad would lose his shit.”

“You’re really good with him.” Steve said softly.

“I hope he’s just a runt, he might not be ready for kitten chow. If he needs milk, I don’t know…” Billy plucked up a piece of orange chicken and popped it in his mouth. Steve tilted his head watching him, Billy was the only other guy his age that Steve had seen in Hawkins that wasn’t Asian-American and knew how to use chop-sticks.

“Can I have a piece.” Steve looked at Billy’s plate, and kept his arms around the kitten, he really didn’t need both hands, but was curious to see what Billy would do.

Billy without hesitating plucked up a piece of orange chicken and fed it Steve.

Steve chewed slowly watching his boyfriend, it was by far the most delicious piece of cold orange chicken he ever had, and that was one of the many ways that Steve knew he was in love with Billy Hargrove.

“You bought out the pet store, huh?” Billy glanced at the bag full of kitten supplies.

“Uh, well he’s gonna need a box to do his business in, and you know, cats like to hunt so I got him a ball and a mouse. Some cat nip, but we probably better wait till he’s older before we give him that, and a collar with a bell on it, so he doesn’t get the birds.”

“Bells don’t work.”

“What?” Steve reached in the bag and pulled out the little red collar, looking disappointed.

Birds don’t associate predators with bells.” Billy looked at Steve’s crestfallen expression, “But it’ll keep the little shit from getting stepped on.”

“Oh, yeah, totally.” Steve smiled.

After Billy finished eating they moved to the couch and set the kitten between them with a saucer of watered down kitten chow. Steve set the kitten down it sniffed once or twice and then started chewing and growling and purring.

“Don’t choke.” Steve said softly watching the kitten inhale its soggy kibble, as he lightly ran his index finger down its back.

Billy leaned back watching his softhearted boyfriend mooning over the inky black kitten.

“I can’t tell if he loves it or hates it.” Steve said watching the kitten eat.

“Loves it, definitely loves.” Billy said keeping his eyes on Steve.

**Part 4**

**The Name Game**

As soon as the kitten finished his dish and it rested its chin on the saucer and was out cold. Billy scooped it up set it on Steve’s lap. “So your parents are gonna be cool with you bringing a black cat home this close to Halloween?” Billy asked, “It could be the devil in disguise, or maybe they’ll think you’ve joined a cult.”

“They know I hate group activities, they would never believe I’d join a cult, a circus maybe, but not a cult.” Steve said shaking his head, “I was thinking maybe, since you know so much about cats, that you could keep him here? I’d help with the expenses, it’s be like joint custody or whatever."

“Yeah, that’s fine, better than taking him to the pound.” Billy shrugged.

“What are you gonna call him, is it a him?” Steve lifted the kittens tail, “Maybe it’s a girl?”

Billy sighed, he reached over and flipped the kitten over and looked at its backside.

“Be gentle.” Steve laughed watching Billy manhandle the sleeping kitten.

“He’s fine, or she’s fine, it’s got like nothing down there, but maybe his balls haven’t dropped.” Billy got up carrying the kitten in one hand he opened his closet and grabbed a shoe box and tipped some papers out of it. “Toss me the towel.”

Steve got up and handed it to him. Billy lined the shoe box and put the kitten in, “Let’s go out on the balcony.” Billy was referring to the landing of the staircase outside the door to his studio, “I want a smoke.”

“It’s cold outside.” Steve said as he picked up his jacket.

“It’s bad for the kitten.” Billy put the kitten in its new shoe box bed on the couch and walked outside with Steve.

They leaned on the railing. Steve had a smoke with Billy, he didn’t often smoke cigarettes but it felt like the kind of night to have one. They looked up at the stars that poked through the racing clouds, Billy pointed out a pale swooping owl that moved silently between the trees. Steve leaned on him, he dropped his hand and hooked his fingers in Billy’s.

“It’s gonna rain more tonight.” Steve exhaled slowly and smiled softly when Billy’s fingers closed gently around his own. “So what are you going to call it?” Steve asked.

“Samhain.” Billy said.

“Really?” Steve laughed softly.

“Yeah. We can call it Sam for short.” Billy said.

“You’re going to be a _great_ father.” Steve said beaming at Billy.

“I will shove you down these stairs.” Billy replied quietly.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Tomorrow's Fic is titled 'The Fever Dream', it will be posted 10/28/2020 before midnight (PST) and rated Explicit.


End file.
